SAD explained by Mayo Clinic

I was diagnosed with SAD a few years back, and so was my Mom. I'm familiar with it, but it doesn't make it any better. My type is fall through winter. I'm depressed, sleepy, and irritable most of the time.

I just want to eat tons of food and hibernate like a bear...

Do you think you have SAD, or were diagnosed with it?

I've heard of it a few times. I don't know much about it besides it making you sad and tired during the seasons with less sunlight.

I do know that they make lamps to help with the symptoms? I don't know how effective the lamps are, but maybe you could look into it?

I suppose it comes every year ? How do you deal with it ? Do you manage to find ways to make it appear later (by therapy or anything), or is it too hard to prevent ?
Have you tried luminotherapy ? I heard it works well.

I never heard of it, and it's not a diagnosis that appears in the diagnostic manual (DSM-IV or DSM-V). I just read that it's actually a depression, but specified with a seasonal pattern.

I had been advised to buy a light therapy box a couple years ago or so, but when we looked into it they were very expensive. It seems that there are more affordable options nowadays.

The Mayo Clinic article for choosing a light therapy box says I should talk to my doctor first, and I definitely have to be careful because I have bipolar disorder as well...

Thank you for replying, you guys. I appreciate it.

Yes talking to your doctor seems a good choice, since it's a therapy and not "just a set of lights".
How do you make the difference between a depressive episode from your bipolar disorder and your SAD ? Are they different ?

Aaah, every freaking year It's pretty common condition in my country. Fall's coming and conversations start like this:
- Hey, how are ya?
- Sleepy/sluggish/not sleeping well/I wanna crawl under my bed and die...
- Autumn blues, too, huh?
- I guess
So yeah, I know it This year I'm trying not to let it get me, but my energy gets drained by just doing nothing 8 hours a day, my job is so boring sometimes *still enjoys it cause she can KofK and gets paid for it* And I already nailed a major emotional breakdown at the beginning of Autumn (love-, family- and job-related... not letting it get ya, huh? shut up, stupid brains! ), so I'm hoping the worst has passed me and won't come back *is dreading winter* And because I've let my tummy grow a little too much, I'm exercising (want to keep my bf interested y'know ). I guess it helps a little with the moods, but only once you get to the point of regularity. Once in a while won't do unfortunately
I've heard doctors recommend to go to solarium during Fall and Winter, for just a few minutes, not much. But I didn't try it, so I don't know if it actually helps I should try tho, I'm super pale <-that's what I may look to some people, dead. Ask your doctor, maybe that would be a good alternative for the expensive lights?
It must be super hard for you to struggle with both SAD and bi-polar *hugs you*

I get like that every year, yep. I try to take vitamin D. It.. helps a bit.

I'm pretty sure I have some degree of it. I just know for certain that stormy weather, especially prolonged stormy weather, really sucks the energy out of me. I might not like being outside during bright, sunny days (I get heat-addled easily, and sunburn easily. Pleh), but I still like them better than grey, overcast, rainy days, because it's easier for me to get up and going for the day.